6172.4(a)

Instruction
Title I
Parent Involvement

The goal of the Hamden Public Schools is to provide a high quality education to meet the challenging standard of serving ALL children. Hamden values the role parents play as their children's first teacher and the influence of their continued support to promote higher student academic achievement and school performance. All parents are invited and encouraged to participate in their children's educational programs.

The purpose of Hamden's Title I Program is to ensure that all children have a fair, equal and significant opportunity to obtain a high quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency in meeting challenging State academic achievement standards and State academic assessments. The Hamden Board of Education endorses the parent involvement goals of Title I and encourages regular participation by parents of Title I eligible children in all aspects of District and Title I programs.

The education of children is viewed as a cooperative effort among the parents, school and community. In this policy, the "parent" also includes guardians and other family members involved in supervising the child's schooling.
Pursuant to federal law, the District will develop jointly with, agree on with and distribute to parents of children participating in Title I programs a written parent involvement policy. This document represents these efforts.

An annual Title I meeting will be conducted by mid-February in each Title I school. At the required annual meeting of Title I parents, parents will have opportunities to participate in the design, development, operation and evaluation of the Title I program for the next school year. Proposed activities shall be presented to fulfill the requirements necessary to address parental involvement.

In addition to the required annual meeting, at least two additional meetings shall be held, at various times of the day and/or evenings, for parents of children participating in the Title I program. These meetings shall be used to provide parents with:

1. Information about programs and services provided under Title I;
2. A description and explanation of the curriculum in use, the forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and the proficiency levels students are expected to meet;
3. Opportunities to formulate suggestions and to participate, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their children; and
4. The opportunity to bring parent comments, if they are dissatisfied with the school's Title I program, to the district level.

6172.4(b)

Instruction
Title I Parent Involvement (continued)

Title I funding, may be used to facilitate parent attendance at meetings through payment of transportation and childcare costs.

The parents of children identified to participate in Title I programs shall receive from the school Principal and Title I staff an explanation of the reasons supporting each child's selection for the program, a set of objectives to be addressed, and a description of the services to be provided. Opportunities will be provided for parents to meet with classroom and Title I staff to discuss their child's progress. Parents will also receive guidance as to how they can assist in the education of their children at home. As appropriate materials and training will be provided to help parents work with their children.

Each school in the District receiving Title I funds shall jointly develop with parents of children served in the program a "School-Parent Compact" outlining the manner in which parents, school staff and students share the responsibility for improved student academic achievement in meeting State standards.

The "School-Parent Compact" shall:

1. Describe the school's responsibility to provide high-quality curriculum and instruction in a supportive and effective learning environment, enabling children in the Title I program to meet the State's academic achievement standards;
2. Indicate ways in which each parent will be responsible for supporting their children's learning, such as monitoring attendance, homework completion, volunteering in the classroom, and participating, as appropriate, in decisions related to their child's education and positive use of extra-curricular time; and
3. Address the importance of parent-teacher communication on an on-going basis, with at a minimum, parent-teacher conferences, frequent reports to parents, and reasonable access to staff.

(cf. 1110- Community Relations)
(cf. 6161.3 - Comparability of Services)

Legal Reference: Improving America's Schools Act, P.L. No. 103-382, Sec. 1112 Local Education Agency Plans.

Improving America's School Act (IASA), P.L. 103-382.
PL 107-110, "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," Title I - Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged, Sec. 1118

Policy adopted: December 10, 2003	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	Hamden, Connecticut